We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaxon Tredennick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaxon, how do you think about risk?
I love this question. It’s a pretty weighted one too, so reflecting on how little I’ve focused on risk is interesting. I think the risk has always been in the back of my head, but especially lately, I’ve found myself disregarding risk as much as possible when it comes to running my studio and creating art. This business unfortunately is all about risks, be it the lyric you are sitting on or opening a studio. That risk has been a motivating factor for me every day as well as the beautiful artists I get to share my space with.

Part of my finding is that the only risk you really have is to not put 100% of your effort into whatever it is you are doing. That for me, is the riskiest part of owning my business and running it day to day. The second the foot goes off the pedal, it needs to be a calculated choice. People in this industry rely on each other, and to be at the center of it will always be risky, but focusing on it helps no one. Just enjoy the risk and use it as motivation, this can be a really fun place to be when you are working in flow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is The Urban Cactus Studio, located in Berry Hill right across from historic Blackbird Studios and Treasure Isle. While I know that the studio market isn’t necessarily looking for new additions in Nashville, I wanted to create something a little different from the rest of my fellow studios. Firstly, at the Urban Cactus, we do focus on an intimate experience. In my opinion, art is made in the subtleties of life, so it’s important to me that the artist, myself, and the room are all in deep understanding of each other in that moment. This is done through things as simple as lighting to instances of having deep, personally reparative conversations with each other. Too many businesses run the studio for profit, but I am doing this for the love of connection and music. Thats what separates my studio from anyone else. It is a small studio, but I make use of the space with 24 simultaneous recording points, as well as a drum kit, a team of session musicians, and anything else you would ever need to make a song happen. It is a large point of personal pride to be able to help someone bring a song from start to finish, so its always a focus of mine that everyone is comfortable and ready to work together.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In a perfect world, I would start the day with Proper Bagel and an outdoor walk around Radnor Lake. I typically spend my mornings outside, so showing someone the beauty of Nashville would be a great time. I would also make sure we hit the Diskin Cider factory and rode scooters around town. The nightlife in Nashville is obviously amazing, but I typically stay off Broadway so I would hit Rosemary’s in East Nashville.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I really want to extend a thank you to all of the people who have brought their energy into my studio since its start. Every single human that walks into my space has blessed it with a new story, and a new vibe, and each and every one of you inspires me daily to make my space better, for us. Secondly, I would love to thank all of my teachers and peers at Belmont University who have made me feel like this is possible. It can be a scary industry to be in with no friends, so thank you to everyone who has welcomed me and made me feel a part of something bigger.

Website: https://linktr.ee/Jsix.6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoutoutjsix/

Image Credits
Avery Herman

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